Get to know Irene Mark-Eisenring
Irene Mark-Eisenring has overseen Human Resources at Bühler since September 2020. As the first woman on the Executive Board (EB) and as an experienced leader with broad HR (Human Resources) expertise, she brings new perspectives to the table. In this interview, she talks about why she enjoys her work so much, the impact of committed employees on the business, and how she recharges her batteries with water sports.
Interview: Carmen Püntener / Photos: Jekaterina Gluzman, March 25, 2021
Irene, you have been our new Chief Human Resources Officer since the first of September 2020. What did you do on your first day in your new role?
My first day was a new beginning and a graduation at the same time. Because on the same day, my successor for my previous job, Elke Thamm, also started as Head of Corporate Personnel Development. I dedicated time to communicate to my employees and to the HR leadership team. It is very important to me to keep close contact with my global HR team, to be transparent, and to set up clear structures. I devoted most of the afternoon to introducing Elke to her new job.
You are the first woman on the Executive Board in the history of Bühler. How does that feel?
It feels normal. I knew what I was getting into. Throughout my career I have worked in teams where men were represented in higher percentages, and I already knew the members of the Executive Board from my earlier position. I feel comfortable in the EB, and I recognize that I can make my contribution. To achieve the best results, it is important that Bühler has female power at every level, including top management.
What do you bring to the executive table that might have been missing before?
As a woman, I may express myself differently, or I may bring other aspects to discussions that perhaps no one had thought of before. I have a wide range of experience in Human Resources and see certain things from this perspective. I also must explain some things differently than I’m used to, because women and men simply tick a little differently, and that’s a good thing!
When someone tells you that you are the “quota woman” at Bühler, what do you say to that?
I clearly do not see myself in this role. I firmly believe that, regardless of whether you are a man or a woman, what matters is that you are committed and perform well. I don’t think the discussion around quotas is very purposeful. I bring my years of experience and proven competencies to the table, and I will continue to do my best, just like everyone else.
At Bühler, the share of women is still low at 17 percent (2020). Since 2017, the company has set itself the goal of increasing the proportion by one percent per year. However, we have only managed an average of just under half a percent per year ...
We knew from the start that this would be a long process. But I am convinced that we have already made great progress, particularly regarding women in management positions. We have also raised awareness of the issue internally. When I look around, I see that hiring more women and promoting them internally has become a matter of course. One example: We recruited three-quarters women among Management Trainees this year, and only one-quarter men. Why? Because the women simply performed better in the assessment this year. But it will take years for the numbers to change in the double-digit percentage range. From a business perspective, however, the most important thing is to choose the most suitable person for the job, regardless of gender.
In recent years, you have personally been very active in the area of diversity and inclusion. And this is not just about women. Where do we stand here?
We are very well positioned in terms of diversity in many areas. We have an enormous number of mixed teams. We are very well positioned in terms of generations and nationalities. And I think diversity has become a normal term at Bühler. The business case that we need diverse teams for business success and that we need to be inclusive is “off-the-table.” That’s a good thing. No one disputes that we are more innovative with mixed teams and – under good leadership – can accomplish more.
You mention generations, we read and hear that younger generations have different ideas about work. They want greater flexibility. Is this an issue at Bühler?
Today, we have many more options in this respect than in the past. Recent times in particular have shown that we can be much more flexible, for example thanks to virtual collaboration. But to be honest, I don’t think flexibility is just an issue for the younger generation. We are all getting older, and we will work longer than our already retired colleagues. As a result, the need for more flexible work models is increasing here as well. Many may want to reduce their workload after a certain age. And I think both the younger and all other generations simply want Bühler to offer options as a modern employer. We are continuously working on this.
Will the 40-hour week sooner or later be obsolete?
Certainly, at certain stages of life. We have different role models today than we used to. If you have a family, it’s common for both partners to work. That calls for more part-time jobs.
But there are also employees for whom it’s not about the family. They simply want a bit freer time.
That is also legitimate. If someone says to themselves, it’s enough to live on if I earn a little less in exchange for realizing personal goals in my free time that is absolutely okay. In a way, I think it is a healthier understanding of the role of work in life and how life and work come together. It’s a more reflective attitude.
I firmly believe that, regardless of whether you are a man or a woman, what matters is that you are committed and perform well.
Irene Mark-Eisenring,
Chief HR Officer
Is Bühler ready for more flexible working models?
It already starts with virtual working. We have come a long way there in 2020. This particular year catapulted us forward because we simply had to. And we as a company have acted quickly, increased IT capacity, introduced new software, carried out trainings and so on. The flexible working models are there, maybe we need to apply them a little bit more and have a little bit more confidence that they are implementable and work. I have always had very good experiences in my teams, especially, for example, in terms of part-time work. I’ve noticed that the connection to the employer is just as strong with part-time workers. If someone gives his or her best at a 100 percent, he or she will do the same at 60, 70 or 80 percent. At the end of the day, it is important for business that employees perform at full capacity during the time they are working, and so we want to support efficiency with these models.
Another topic is flat hierarchies. Many employees want to be perceived by their supervisors at eye level. Where do we stand here?
This is an issue that is strongly linked to our strategy. One of our three core values is ownership, another is trust. As leaders, we have to learn to hand over responsibility. We have so many good people at Bühler. We should give our team members the trust to make their own decisions, but also to make mistakes and learn from them. That is probably the most important means of softening the hierarchies somewhat. And we can promote our talents even better this way. Not everything always has to go over the boss’ table. Of course, clear definitions are needed as to what exactly someone takes ownership of and what the goals are for the task in question. In general, I think that Bühler is in a good position in this area compared to other companies. But it is also an issue that needs to be worked on continuously.
With that, I’ll jump to the topic of training and development, because you just mentioned talent development. This is also a cornerstone of Strategy D25. What exactly is planned there, how does Bühler intend to equip its employees for the future?
An extremely important part of this is further training in the area of digital skills. Here, everyone across the board really has to be fit – and stay fit. What we learn now will become obsolete ever faster. Constant learning is therefore an important topic in the D25 strategy. To stay fit on the job, you have to keep learning. This does not mean weeks of training, but rather, for example, that we will be able to call up mobile, short training units from anywhere in the future. And we also want to promote learning within the teams. For example, by sitting down with a colleague for half a day and saying, “Show me how you do that.” In addition to traditional training, it has been proven that you learn a great deal from sharing experiences or from mentoring.
Whatever we do in HR has to be good for the business, but of course we also have to be close to the employees. And, I also want to make HR team one of the best, high-performing teams at Bühler.
Irene Mark-Eisenring,
Chief Human Resources Officer
Does learning something new also increase work motivation and personal commitment?
There are several important aspects to the topic of engagement. When are people engaged? They are engaged when they know what they are working for, when they see a purpose in the work. The second is when they are recognized for what they are good at, and learning new skills certainly plays a big role here. Positive learning successes naturally also increase the motivation. A third motivation, which is often underestimated, is the connection to the line manager. Employees want to have a direct supervisor who supports them and helps them progress. According to a Gallup study, the relationship with the line manager accounts for 70 percent of work motivation. When people are not motivated, it often has to do with the person directly in front of them. That’s why D25 is also about developing our leadership skills.
What tips would you give to supervisors? How can they motivate their teams?
As a manager, you have to know what motivates your people and who is strong where. And then you have to use your employees’ skills accordingly. That means distributing the work differently. By that, I don’t mean building jobs completely around individuals, but looking a bit more at where individuals’ strengths lie and building on those. Team leaders should set clear goals and define exactly what they expect from their employees. And finally, it’s important that employees are given the freedom and resources to master their tasks independently. So, it starts with knowing our people well.
The Gallup report also says that 85 percent of all employees worldwide are only moderately engaged or even rather disconnected in their jobs. This figure is frighteningly high ...
I don’t think that’s true for Bühler. We have a good purpose, that is our basis, and that already motivates many people. The way we treat each other, and that is also, very collegial and respectful. A large part of our employees is super committed. But even I sometimes wear glasses and don’t see things objectively. I could therefore well imagine conducting such a survey at Bühler in the next five years to take our internal pulse.
When we talk about commitment, our third TOP value, passion, also comes into play. Why is this value so important?
No, there is indeed nothing better. When employees are passionate, they bring their heart and soul and tremendous energy to work. That makes a huge difference in output, and ultimately it has a big impact on the bottom line.
I have read that the healthy growth of a company is closely linked to the experiences that its employees have in their daily work. If these are positive, the company is doing well.
I can subscribe to that. If every person at Bühler enjoys coming to work every day and has fun at work, the company moves forward. There is a better atmosphere, it promotes innovation, and it boosts performance. That’s why it’s so important that we nurture and promote all the factors that contribute to engagement. And that’s why this is also part of HR Strategy 2025, to also strengthen business performance through higher employee engagement.
Doesn’t this start with recruitment? How do we find the top committed people?
In recruiting, we have become much smarter in recent years. We publish more, especially through social channels. We report on our goals, our values, and on things we do well, so that we can also appeal to the right people. LinkedIn is an important channel for this. But the best thing is still word-of-mouth. When our employees tell their friends how cool it is at Bühler, word gets around. It is impressive how many good CVs I get every week. There are so many good talents who want to join us. Of course, there are also open positions that are very much in demand and not so easy to fill, which are very much in demand, especially in booming markets like China. We are aware of that and we are working to ensure that we are very attractive here.
What is particularly important to you as HR boss?
I would particularly like to work on the further development of our leadership skills, because I am convinced that if we strengthen these skills, this in turn will have a positive impact on all the engagement aspects I have already mentioned. This means that employees, the business, and ultimately all of Bühler will benefit. And I want to raise awareness internally in HR that we are also there to strengthen the business. Whatever we do in HR has to be good for the business, but of course we also have to be close to the employees. I also want to make HR team one of the best, high-performing teams at Bühler. And all this is only possible if we as HR contribute significantly to the efficiency of the entire company, for example by managing personnel costs with foresight.
It’s important that employees are given the freedom and resources to master their tasks independently.
Irene Mark-Eisenring,
Chief Human Resources Officer
What about your personal work-life balance? People always say that top managers work around the clock ...
But I like working so much! Of course, I work long hours, but that doesn’t bother me because I enjoy it. I also know exactly what I need to stay fit. When I need a break, I go jogging in the evening, then my batteries are quickly recharged. My family knows nothing else. They see that my work fulfills me, that I am satisfied and balanced – and they benefit from that, too. But what’s also very important to me is that weekends and vacations belong to the family. Then we always do something together – the whole family is sporty, and we always have an extensive activity program, summer, and winter.
And you’re out and about a lot on Lake Constance ...
When I am doing water sports – whether it is sailing, surfing, or motorboating when there’s not much wind – or jogging or cycling along the shores of Lake Constance, I relax, but at the same time I also recharge my batteries. If, for example, I sometimes leave here in Uzwil before seven in the summer and am still on the lake for an hour around eight, then I am thoroughly relaxed. The water gives me the beautiful, the positive – simply a good feeling. And it gives me the inner peace that I need for my work.
Irene Mark-Eisenring graduated in Business Administration from the University of Applied Sciences in St. Gallen, Switzerland. She expanded her studies with additional diplomas in personnel management, profiling, psychology, and project management. Mark-Eisenring has a broad human resources background and extensive experience in human resources leadership and projects, primarily in the financial industry. From 1996 to 2016, she held various human resources leadership roles at UBS Investment Bank and UBS AG in Zurich, Switzerland, and has lead projects in different countries, such as London, UK. She joined Bühler in 2016 as Head of Corporate Personnel Development. In that role she was responsible for setting and implementing strategies in the fields of global human resources development, strategic recruiting, and Diversity & Inclusion. She is also on the Board of the local Business & Professional Women Network Eastern Switzerland. In 2020, she was named Chief Human Resources Officer of the Bühler Group. Irene Mark-Eisenring was born in 1967 and is Swiss.
Gupfenstrasse 5
Uzwil
9240
Switzerland
